Young K’s let it be summer is nominated for Best Rock Song in the 2023 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support let it be summer and your other favourite acts by clicking here to vote today.

If you haven’t seen yet, I have posted the song reviews for Young K’s 2023 releases, nothing but and let it be summer (links below), over the last two weeks. And with that, I am ready to post my thoughts on Young K’s album that features these two tracks – Letter with Notes. This is Young K’s first comeback since his military enlistment and his first studio album. It dropped on 4 September 2023. Personally, I really like the variety that Young K offers in this album – there is a bit of rock, jazz, ballads etc. I kind of had the mindset that the entire album will just be variations of rock (given that Young K does come from a band) or just the more typical vocals/band formula. But there is a lot more to Letters with Notes as you dig further into the album. I highly recommend this release, especially if you are missing your DAY6 dose lately.

1. waited (오늘만을 너만을 이날을) – Starting off the album is waited. To me, this 90s-like rock track is one of a few that I feel DAY6 easily could have executed together. It just had that whole band vibe that DAY6 has built for them. Well, of course, Young K does a really good job himself with his passionate vocals. I also enjoyed the upbeat and bright energy from the band instrumentation, the pairing making waited a lovely opener, and the glitchy-like echo of following the first chorus was a memorable and unique element of the song. (9/10)

2. nothing but (이것밖에는 없다) (Title Track) – Click here for the full review for nothing but. (8.5/10)

3. let it be summer (Pre-release Track) – Click here for the full review for let it be summer. (9/10)

4. Dreamer (꿈꿈) – Dreamer is a British rock track, with feel-good vibes at the forefront of the track. I really like the grungy guitar work in this track, which gives Dreamer a bit of grit, and the splash of brass in the background that emphasises and concentrates those feel-good vibes. Those same vibes are also exuded through Young K’s vocals – the best showing of his vocals is during the bridge, when the melodies curls up. The way he sings those ‘curls’ is impeccable. I find myself getting lost in all of the above often when I hear Dreamer on my queue, and that is definitely a solid indicator to how good the song is. (10/10)

5. Bungee Jumping – Bungee Jumping moves us into slightly softer territory, with a more mellow and pleasant vibe to its instrumentation (despite remaining upbeat). But before you think this translates a softer or mellow approach to Young K’s vocals, think again. I find Young K still puts some oomph behind his vocals during certain parts of the song (such as the opener to the chorus), which brings forth a bungee jumping-like effect to his vocals, which I find complements the title of the song well. Apart from that, everything (melodies, delivery etc.) feels pretty standard. (8/10)

6. natural – The instrumentation to natural evokes a foot-tapping reaction from me, which is another sign of a good song. I like how straight forwardly simple and pure the instrumentation, which complements the title (again) and the romantic intent of the song. Young K’s vocals are really nice in natural, with the soloist going down a more heartfelt and soft approach. I love how delicate he gets in this song, which contrasts nicely with the instrumentation. (9/10)

7. STRANGE – STRANGE reinvigorates the album with the infusion of synths alongside the band instrumentation. It ends up giving off a different dynamic to the rest of the traditional band approaches on the album, serving us with a playful vibe. You can also feel the refreshing energy coming from the soloist’s vocals. Throw in some catchy moments and you have a strong side track in STRANGE. (9/10)

8. SOUL (ft. COILB) – We revisit brass and band instrumentation in SOUL. This time around, the brass is more in the forefront and we also get a nice mellow touch via the presence of piano. Together, with the band instrumentation, we get a jazzy-like atmosphere. Young K himself brings so much soul and passion during the chorus, captivating and engaging me. So much so that I feel SOUL is his best effort vocally on this album. COILB’s rapping also complements SOUL quite well, with his delivery also giving passionate and soulful vibes. (10/10)

9. playground – The playful vibes come back to play in playground, with a funkier sound profile in this rock track. There also appears to be a touch of blues in playground. Young K’s vocals also play around, with his delivery throughout and the quirks in the vocals giving off confident, lively and cheeky undertones. I really like the dynamics of playground and just wished it had gone on and on. (9/10)   

10. babo – Despite the song’s title being the Korean word for ‘fool’, babo is an all-English track. The instrumentation makes babo an interesting track, with the various detailing, pauses and changes that unexpectedly arises as the song progresses. Despite listening to the song a few times since its release, I do find that I still get caught off guard with some of it, such as when the song turns acoustic out of nowhere and fades away. But despite that, babo is still a decent listen. (8/10)

11. what is.. – The final track on the album is (no surprises) a ballad. I really like the atmospheric instrumentation of what is.. and how it further emphasises the emotional heft that ultimately comes from Young K’s vocals. In addition to the emotions, his vocals are stunningly beautiful, captivating and engaging us once again. It also made for a nice closer to this album. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 9/10